Giving Blood Can Be the Ultimate Gift

What is a special present that could come only from you? You may not have
thought of this: The greatest gift you can give another human is, literally,
life. Donating blood even once can help save the lives of three people --
whether they're newborns needing heart surgery, adults badly injured in car
crashes, or people of any age suffering from cancer.

If you already donate, you probably know how important it is. If you don't
donate, you're hardly alone. While 60% of Americans are eligible to give blood,
only 5% of them do -- even though someone in America needs a blood transfusion
every two seconds. "At any given time, we only have a three-day supply of
blood in this country. It's vitally important that people give," says Anne
Eder, MD, executive medical officer of the American Red Cross.

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Queasy? Busy? Unsure where to go? Read on to learn how the blood donor
system works -- and how you can participate.

Who Gives?

Studies show that the primary motivation for the 8 million Americans who
donate blood every year is altruism, while the primary hurdle for those who
don't is inconvenience. Yet most communities offer places to give blood, and
the whole procedure takes only an hour.

Those who have never donated cite the risk of AIDS as their primary concern.
But "people cannot get a disease from giving blood," Eder says.
"The staff use a new, sterile needle on each donor and immediately dispose
of it after they draw the blood."

Am I Eligible?

Guidelines differ from state to state, but in general you are eligible if
you are 17 and older, weigh more than 110 pounds, and don't have AIDS or other
transmissible diseases. Some conditions may also make you temporarily
ineligible, including pregnancy, low blood iron, and high or low blood
pressureproblems.

Blood donations are needed all year, but they're most critical during
holidays. "That's when we see the most trauma," Eder says, "and
when donors are unavailable, due to vacation schedules, illness, or inclement
weather."